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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23635615">Putting All the Words Together</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Calieus/pseuds/Calieus'>Calieus</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Flash (TV 2014)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Barry Allen Needs a Hug, Feels, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Kissing, M/M, face touching</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 19:35:33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,030</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23635615</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Calieus/pseuds/Calieus</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Barry escorts Ralph back to his office after everything with The Thinker is resolved. While there Barry reveals to Ralph that he feels responsible for what had happened to him over an empty glass on a table.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Barry Allen/Ralph Dibny</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>57</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Putting All the Words Together</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>New fandom who this. That whole thing with the cleaning office and making a toast got me thinking, so I sat down and wrote it. As a disclaimer Barry and Iris aren't married in this, but they're still friends. Title taken from The Sound of You and Me by Yellowcard. Thanks to my friend Pan for checking this over for me.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ralph’s office is bathed in a soft orange light when Barry opens the door with a soft click. He enters the room and goes to stand in front of his desk. Everything is put away and it’s a lot cleaner than when he last left it. It still feels a bit dingy though and holds one to many bad memories, but for him it’s the only semblance of home he has. The door closes with a click and while Ralph doesn’t look at Barry, he can feel his gaze boring into him. Barry had escorted Ralph back to the office after fussing that it was to make sure he was alright. Ralph spots a glass sitting on his desk, he never left that there.</p>
<p>“I think that glass is dangerous,” he says. “I’m not one for leaving those out, so I think it warrants suspicion.”</p>
<p>“Oh! That was left here by me.” Barry’s voice comes out in a soft tone. Ralph turns around and looks at him in confusion.</p>
<p>“What were you doing in my office? And when did that happen and how did I miss it?”</p>
<p>Barry’s expression changes to something sad, but it’s over in a second. Ralph eyes Barry closely as he crosses the room to Ralph’s desk. He picks up the glass and the sad expression is etched back onto his face.</p>
<p>“I came here after…you were taken away,” Barry avoids saying that guy’s name. “And I cleaned out the entire office. It took some time, but when I was done, I looked around and realized that I’ll never set foot in this place again.”</p>
<p>“Barry…”</p>
<p>“Once that realization set in, I made a toast in your memory,” Barry’s voice falters. “Because that’s what friends do right?”  </p>
<p>Ralph looks at Barry as though he has been punched in the face. No one has ever so much as done anything like that for Ralph. Sure, the gesture is small, but it’s the very thought that anyone would do that for him that makes Ralph’s heart soar. There’s a sob then the glass Barry was holding falls to the table. It takes a second for Ralph to catch up to what’s happening, but moving faster than the Reverse Flash, Ralph catch’s Barry before he falls.</p>
<p>“I’ve got you,” says Ralph as he moves Barry down to the floor, he places his hands on Barry’s shoulders and turns him around to face him.</p>
<p>Barry doesn’t so much as look at Ralph as he desperately tries to scrub the tears away.  Ralph squeezes Barry’s shoulders and tries to find some words of reassurance.</p>
<p>“Barry…I…” whatever thought Ralph was going to have is cut off by a pair of arms squeezing around him. Barry buries his head into Ralph’s chest and cries. Ralph places one arm around him and puts his hand in Barry’s hair, running his hand through it.</p>
<p>“I thought I was never going to see you again Ralph,” Barry sobs. “That you were dead, and it was all my fault.” Ralph feels a sting in his heart. Barry has no one blame at all, especially not himself.</p>
<p>“Barry, what happened is not your fault.”</p>
<p>Barry loosens himself from Ralph and stares at him with tear stained eyes. Ralph feels a tinge of sadness.</p>
<p>“Yes, it was!” Barry says. “I made a promise to protect you and your heart, and I failed us both.” Ralph blinks and a tear falls down his face. He doesn’t make a move to get rid of it.</p>
<p>There’s a silence in the room save for a few sniffles from Barry. Ralph frees his arm and hand to cup Barry’s face in his hands. He leans forward to press their foreheads together, noses bumping.</p>
<p>“Dammit Rookie,” the old nickname rings through the room. “None of what happened is your fault. You’ve already done so much for me, more than I could ever ask for. I already said that you saved me and here you went and did it again. Because of you I’m still here and that’s more than enough and no reason to beat yourself up over what happened.”</p>
<p>Warm hands place themselves on Ralph’s face, thumbs wiping away tears. Since when was Ralph crying? Barry doesn’t say anything as he inches their faces together until there’s barely any space left. He waits for a little bit, giving Ralph some time to pull back, he doesn’t move away.</p>
<p>The kiss is a mere light touch of lips and is filled with uncertainty, whatever happens next will change things between them. Ralph closes his eyes, moves one hand to Barry’s hair and fully presses their mouths together. Barry kisses like he runs, fast and with a purpose. Their mouths move with a frantic pace, as though they’ll never see each other again. One of Barry’s hands moves to Ralph’s hair where it plays with the strands. While the other slides down to Ralph’s chest and grips his shirt. The kiss goes open mouthed and with it more desperate. Barry presses closer to Ralph his knee spreading Ralph’s legs. His tongue enters Ralph’s mouth and licks the roof of his mouth. Ralph gives Barry’s hair a tug and a moan vibrates through that goes straight down to Ralph’s crotch. They should probably stop, but kissing Barry is nothing like any other person Ralph has made out with. For one no-one is drunk and it’s not for a job, it’s just them in a dingy little office.</p>
<p>Ralph is the first to pull away once the need for air becomes too much and before his pants end up with a surprise. He’ll need to take care of that later. Barry’s eyes are glazed over and his mouth is red from all the kissing. He looks beautiful to Ralph which he won’t voice just yet.</p>
<p>“That was…yeah…” says Barry. “I’ve…I’ve been wanting to do that ever since I rescued you. I’m sorry if I sprung this on you too soon I should-”</p>
<p>Placing a finger on Barry’s mouth, Ralph looks at him with a stern yet soft expression.</p>
<p>“Barry,” says Ralph. “Just shut up and kiss me. We’ll figure this all out later.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I love these nerds so much.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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